A DARWEN boxing club which faced closure after its rent was tripled has been saved by two local businessmen.

The club, which is used by children as young as six, was renting a room in Hampden Mill, Spring Vale Road, until mid-September and was working towards becoming affiliated to the Amateur Boxing Association.

It was then offered the chance to sub-let a larger room in a nearby unit for the same rent by fellow tenants who wanted to extend their business.

Two days after they moved in to the new unit, Hampden Mill was raided by the police who found a huge cannabis factory in the rooms used by the fellow tenants.

This put an end to their sub-letting and they were told they would have to pay £170 a week for the new, bigger unit -- instead of the £50 they had been led to believe they would be paying.

As the club was preparing to close, Trevor Thompson, one of the owners of the boxing club, met Sam Stone, owner of Darwen-based Movers removal firm who, along with a second local businessman, agreed to save the club from closure.

Mr Thompson said: "We couldn't afford so much money so we seriously thought we would have to close.

"We only charge our members a couple of pounds.

"When we moved into the new unit it was with the promise we would not have to pay more rent.

"The people who were sub-letting to us said they were running a computer business and they said they would sponsor a boxing ring for us.

"Unfortunately that all went wrong and although the landlord of the mill was very understanding and said he would give us a month to try to sort things out but we knew we couldn't afford the higher rent."

Mr Thompson, 63, who runs the boxing club with friends Barry Higginson and Dean Roberts, said: "I told Sam about the club having to close and he came back with Paul Taylor, a local builder, and they said they were going to sponsor the club so we could keep going.

"They are giving us a substantial fee towards the rent so we can stay where we are and they are keen to help ensure children still have somewhere to go.

"It keeps youngsters off the street and gives them some responsibility and plenty of discipline."